Metallic building frame structure



Nov. 6, 1962 E. ELIA ETAL 3,061,978

METALLIC BUILDING FRAME STRUCTURE Original Filed Sept. 3, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A 3 '--I. Z IIIIIJQ llnllllillmrlmm A 7W nRRasch M 6 W ATTORNEYS Nov. 6,1962 E. ELIA ETAL METALLIC BUILDING FRAME STRUCTURE Original Filed Sept. 3, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HERMAN R. RASCH ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 6, 1962 METALLIC BUILDING FRAME STRUCTURE Edward Elia, Detroit, and Herman R. Rasch, Lincoln Park, MiciL, assignors to National Steel Corporation,

a corporation of Delaware Original application Sept. 3, 1957, Ser. No. 681,792. Divided and this application Feb. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 11,454

4 (Ilaims. (Cl. 50-55) This invention relates to improvements in metallic building frame structure of the type that includes a pair of spaced upright columns that support at their upper ends a pair of upwardly inclined converging rafters and having a tension member interconnecting the columns adjacent their upper ends, and is particularly characterized by improved column cap structure.

The present application is a division of copendirig application Serial No. 681,792, filed September 3, 1957.

FIGURE 1 is an end view, partially in section, of a building construction embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a detailed view, partly in section, showing novel construction features provided by the present invention;

ETGURE 3 is a view in section taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a detailed View, partly in section, showing other structural features provided by the present invention; and

FIGURE 5 is an isometric view of a novel element incorporated in the building construction shown in FIG- URE 1.

With reference more particularly to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a building construction embodying the principles of the present invention is shown therein including vertically disposed and transversely spaced column membersand- 1 1-loc-atedalong opposite sides of the building. The building may include a plurality of pairs of column members 10 and 11 spaced longitudinally of the building to provide a building construction of any desired length. Each pair of column members 10 and 11 supports a roof truss or a frame. The roof truss includes rafters 12 and 13 and a tie rod 14. The rafters 12 and 13 are connected at one of their ends to the upper ends of columns 10 and 111, respectively, and the rafters incline at an obtuse angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of respective columns to determine the slope of the roof of the building. The other ends of the rafters are terminated in spaced relationship in the region of the ridge of the building and are joined together by a connecting member 15 secured to the rafters and bridging the space between their adjacent ends. The manner in which the rafters are joined to each other and to respective column members and the manner in which the tie rod 14 is connected to form a structural element of the roof truss will be described in detail below. The rafters of the roof trusses supported by each pair of column members 10 and 11 are interconnected by purlins 16 which extend longitudinally of the building. As shown in FIGURE 1, an eave purlin is connected to the rafters in a region above the column members, a ridge purlin is connected to the other ends of the rafters adjacent the connecting member 16 and intermediate purlins are connected to the rafters between the cave and ridge purlins. The building may be provided with shed type extensions at either or both of its sides. The extension includes a plurality of vertically disposed column members 17 longitudinally spaced along the length of the building in parallel relation with the plurality of column members 1 1, for example, in transverse spaced relation with the column members 11 and with each of the column members 17 lying in a common plane with a pair of column members 10 and 11. The roof for the extension is formed by rafters 18 supported at their inner ends by connecting members 19 and at their ends by column members 17. The rafters 18 are connected together by longitudinally extending purlins 20, one of which comprises an eave purlin located above the column 17 and the other may comprise an intermediate purlin positioned between the columns 11 and 17. Roofing for the building may com prise sheets of corrugated or channeled sheet metal secured to the purlins by means. of sheet metal screws. A ridge roll 22 extends longitudinally of the building and overlies the ends of the roof sheets along the ridge of the building. Longitudinally extending girts 23 are connected between adjacent columns 10 and between adjacent columns 17 to provide supports for siding 24 which may also comprise vertically disposed corrugated or channeled pieces of sheet metal.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the upper end of each of the columns 11 is provided with a column cap 70 comprising an inverted U-shaped member including a flat web portion 71 and side flanges 72 and 73 which extend downwardly and overlie the outside surfaces of the webs 511 and 52 of the column and are secured thereto by means of bolts 74, the column caps 70 being secured to the columns 11 with the flat web 71 being inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the column at an obtuse angle corresponding to the angle of inclination of the roof of the building. The rafter 13 comprises a compos ite structure including a pair of C-shaped channel members 75 and ,76 connected together in back-to-back rela? tion by means of bolts 77 which also join flanges 78 and 79 of angle members 80 and 81 to theopposite sides of the C-shaped channel members. The longitudinal axis of the rafterslfi is parallel to the plane of the web portion 71 ofthe column caps 70 and the lower flanges 82 and 83- of the C-shaped channel members 75 and 76, respec tively, overlie the web 71 and are secured thereto by means of bolts 84 and 85. "-The flanges 86 an d 87 o f'the angle members 80 and 81 respectively, extend from opposite sides of the rafter 13 in a substantially common plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rafter and are connected to the ends of the cave purlins 16 by means of bolts 88 and 89. The purlins 16 may be of Z-shape section, and the lower flange of the cave purlins is connected to the column caps by means of the bolts 85.

As shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings, the column members 10 are secured to the rafters 12 by means of a similar construction including inverted U-shaped column caps 90 secured to the upper ends of the columns 10 by means of bolts 91. The rafter 12, including a pair of C-shaped channel members in back-to-back relation, is secured to the column caps by means of bolts 92 and 93 passing through the lower flanges of the C-shaped members. The C-shaped members of the rafter 12 are secured together by bolts 94 which also join angle members 95 to the rafters, and the eave purlins 16 are connected to the angle members 95 by means of bolts 96 and to the column cap by bolts 92 which pass through the lower flange of the cave purlins. The ridge purlins and the purlins intermediate the ridge purlins and the cave purlins are joined to respective rafters by bolted connections with angle members secured to the rafters by means of bolts which also function to join the C-shaped channel members of the rafters in back-to-back relationship.

As shown in particular in FIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawings, the column caps 70 and 90 include a plate which extends outwardly from the web 71 in coplanar relationship therewith, and the column caps 70 and 90 are positioned on respective columns 11 and 10 with the extensions 1 10 directed toward the interior of the building. The ends of each of the tie rods 14 are joined to the extension plates 110 of column caps 70 and 90. As

shown in FIGURE 5, the end portion of the tie rod extends in substantial underlying relation with the plate 110 and is weldably secured thereto and lies in the plane of the web 71. With this construction, when column caps 70 and 90 are secured to the upper ends of a pair of columns 10 and 11 with the plane of the webs 71 inclined at an obtuse angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the columns, the ends of the tie rod will be bent downwardly as shown at 111 in FIGURE 2, tending to how the tie rod upwardly throughout its intermediate portion. This arrangement eliminates the need of hangers to support the tie rods at a medial point of its length and the building construction has a more pleasant interior appearance.

The tie rods 14 comprise a necessary structural element of the building construction and the feature of weld-ably securing the ends of the tie rods to the column caps insures that the tie rods will be included in the building during the course of its construction.

According to another embodiment of the present invention column cap members of a width substantially corresponding to the width of the column may be employed in place of the cap members including plate extensions as shown in FIGURE 5. In particular, the tension rod member 14 may overlie the underside of the Web 71 between the openings for the bolts 93 and be welded thereto and the plate extensions 110 may be deleted. With this construction the columns 10 and 11 will be positioned with the longitudinal slots thereof defined by the spaced coplanar free flanges 53 and 54 disposed in face-to-face relation and the tension rod 14 will lie in the longitudinal slots. In constructions including columns without slots or other tension rod receiving openings adjacent their upper ends it may be advantageous to employ column caps of the type shown in FIGURE and thereby eliminate the problem of providing space for the ends of the tension rods.

Although one embodiment of the method and apparatus of the invention has been disclosed and described herein, it is to be expressly understood that various changes and substitutions may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as well understood by those skilled in the art. Reference therefore will be had to the appended claims as a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1. In metallic building frame structure including (1) a pair of spaced upright columns that support at their upper ends (11) a pair of upwardly inclined converging rafters and having (III) a tension member interconnecting the columns adjacent their upper ends;

the improvement comprising:

a column cap atop each column, the cap having (A) a pair of downwardly depending flanges secured to the top of the associated column one adjacent each of a pair of opposite sides of the column (B) a top plate (I) in line with the associated column (2) interconnecting the tops of the flanges (3) inclined at the angle of the associated rafter (4) secured to the underside of the associated rafter (C) means rigidly interconnecting the top plate .and an end of the tension member. 2. Structure as claimed in claim 1, in which (C) is integral with and extends inward from (B).

3. Structure as claimed in claim 2, in which (C) is coplanar with (B).

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1,, in which the members of (A) are disposed on outer sides of the column.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,076,290 King Oct. 21, 1913 1,258,408 Hill Mar. 5, 1918 1,298,129 Whittredge Mar. 25, 1919 1,823,945 Klingenberg Sept. 22,. 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS 149,028 Australia Nov. 14, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.. 3,061,978 November 6, 1962 Edward Elia et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line. 3, after "their" insert outer Signed a'nq sealed this 24th day of September 1963.

SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w. SWIDER DAVID LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

